Bella Conrad: Ballerina in Training
by Another Bechloe Shipper
Summary: Bella wants to start dance class. Stacie is annoyed because Bella keeps choosing activities and then quitting them. She isn't all that willing to pay for another activity that Bella will likely stop liking as quickly as she started liking. Her feelings change when they enter the dance studio, for more than one reason. Staubrey Week - Day 6 - Bella Conrad. Rated M for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Staubrey Week - Day 6 – Bella Conrad**

A/N: Thanks a bunch to 22-Ti for helping me with the story idea.

* * *

"Mommy! Mommy!" Bella exclaimed as she hopped down the steps of the school bus. She was halfway through kindergarten and still loved going to school.

"Hi, little lady!" Stacie said, hugging her daughter.

Bella had a piece of paper in her hand, and she handed it to her mother. "Look! Dance class! I want to be a ballerina!" She began to twirl in circles.

Stacie stopped her before she got dizzy and fell over. "Whoa, there. Let's not get dizzy. Even ballerinas don't spin all the time."

Bella took her mother's hand as they walked around the corner to their home. It was just the two of them living in the townhouse. Bella's father had left as soon as Stacie had told him she was pregnant, but Stacie had been able to provide for the two of them. Sometimes, money was tight, but she did her best to save money where she could. She'd purchased the townhouse a few years ago, proud of herself for being able to afford one in a nice school district. She worked early hours and had a neighbor who was nice enough to watch Bella in the mornings. She wouldn't accept any money from Stacie, even on the days Bella had off of school when Stacie was unable to rearrange her work schedule. Stacie had no idea how they'd gotten so lucky. The neighbor's children had all moved out, and she'd insisted that Bella was her cure for empty nest syndrome.

She got Bella her after-school snack and sat with her at the kitchen table. Stacie examined the flyer for the dance school that Bella had brought home. It was a short session – only running for three months. They'd do ballet and tap, and there would be an in-studio performance. The price was a little steep but doable. The big problem with this was that Bella had a habit of insisting her mother sign her up for an activity, only to decide she hated it before the session was over.

"Mom, can I dance? Please?" Bella asked, giving her mother the classic puppy-dog eyes.

Stacie sighed. "I don't know, honey. Is this going to be like that time you wanted to play soccer?"

She scrunched up her face. "Soccer?"

"That was just this past fall. You played one game, and then you refused to go back."

"The other kids were taking the ball!"

"That's part of the game."

"Nobody told me that!"

"Or the karate lessons you just _had_ to have two months ago?"

"The other kids kicked me back!"

"What did you think they were going to do?"

Bella shrugged.

"And last summer when I signed you up for the swim team?"

"That water was too cold!"

"Why should I sign you up for dance?"

"Because I want to be a ballerina."

"Since when?"

"Since today. Ava's going to do it. And Mia. And Nora."

Stacie groaned. Those were the girls whose mothers Stacie couldn't stand. They were married stay-at-home moms, and they looked down on Stacie for being a working single mom. While Stacie wasn't happy about the circumstances that had landed her where she was, she'd gotten Bella out of them, and she wouldn't trade her for the world. The girls themselves got along well with Bella, so Stacie spent a fair amount of time biting her tongue at play dates.

Stacie thought about how the other girls would likely throw it in Bella's face if they got to take dance class if she didn't. She knew the other moms would just tell their daughters that Bella didn't get to do it because she didn't have a daddy like they did. She'd heard similar statements from Bella's mouth, and at least one of the girls had started to say something at Bella's recent birthday party before her mother shushed her.

Stacie looked again at the flyer. "I'll call the studio and find out more information before I sign you up. Go up to your room and start your homework. I'll come up after I'm off the phone to help you."

Bella had recently insisted on trying to do her homework independently. She did pretty well with it for a kid so young, but Stacie always checked it over when she was done. She could read, but sometimes she still got mixed up on the directions.

Stacie called the dance studio once Bella was upstairs. Stacie was hoping there was an option for a partial refund if her daughter wanted to quit. The woman at the front desk was very helpful. She assured Stacie that they were used to kids like this. If Bella hated it after the first month, Stacie could cancel her registration and she would only have to pay for that month. They sold used dance equipment at the studio, and there was a lot available in the smaller sizes in good condition. She was welcome to bring her daughter to the studio to see if she fit anything they had there before paying for any of it new. They'd also have a chance to see a dance class in action to give Bella an idea of what to expect. She also assured Stacie that the costume fee for the in-studio performance would be fairly small – usually, it was a leotard and a tutu and possibly a headpiece. If Bella were to join for the full year program in the fall, the costume fees would be a little higher. Stacie thanked her and decided to talk with Bella a bit more before making a commitment.

She walked up to her daughter's room. Bella was sitting at her desk, diligently coloring a worksheet. "How's homework going?"

"Good." Stacie looked over Bella's shoulder to see she'd been working on rhyming words.

"Nice job. Is that all you have for tonight?"

"Yes. Did you call the dance place?"

"You mean the studio. Yes, I did."

"Did you sign me up?"

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"I'll make a deal with you. I'll sign you up, but you have to finish the three months. No excuses. If you decide you don't like it after three months are done, you don't have to do it anymore." She'd decided that, even though the studio would let her quit after a month, she needed to put her foot down and insist her daughter finish an activity for once.

"When is that?"

Stacie pulled up the calendar app on her phone. "Okay, right now it's March. Your last class is a performance in June." She flipped through the months to show her daughter how long she'd have to stick with dance lessons.

"What's a per...per...per..."

"Performance?"

"Yeah, that."

"It's when you get to show the parents what you have been doing in dance class. You perform a dance you'll learn. It means you do it in front of other people that are there just to watch you dance."

Bella's eyes widened. "Wow."

"What do you think?"

"I can't wait for the per-form-ance," she said, slowly pronouncing the last word.

"Okay. How about I take you there after dinner? I'll sign you up and we'll see if they have any dance clothes and shoes in your size."

"I get dance clothes and shoes? Do I get a tutu?"

"Yes on the dance clothes and shoes. I'll have to see about the tutu for class."

"Okay."

Stacie made a quick dinner so she'd have time to get Bella over to the studio and home before bedtime.

They walked in and Bella's eyes were as big as saucers. There were pictures of ballerinas on the walls, and there were all these kids in the waiting room, mostly girls, in pretty leotards and tights and ballet shoes. Stacie smiled at her daughter's reaction. She'd been a dancer as a child as well, and she remembered that same feeling when she'd first entered the studio.

She walked to the front desk holding her daughter's hand. "Hi, I'm Stacie. I called earlier about the spring session for beginners."

The blonde woman at the desk smiled and shook her hand. "I'm Jessica. I'm the one who spoke to you on the phone earlier. Is this Bella?"

Bella smiled and murmured a "hello" while trying to hide behind her mother's legs.

"She's not normally like this," said Stacie. "I think she's a little overwhelmed."

Jessica walked around the desk and knelt down to the little girl's level. "I understand you want to be a ballerina when you grow up?"

Bella peered around from behind her mother's legs and nodded.

"Would you like to watch some of the bigger kids?"

Bella stepped out from behind her mother and nodded more confidently.

"You can go into the dance room with me, but you have to promise to be super quiet. The big kids need to be able to hear Miss Aubrey."

"Okay," said Bella.

Jessica took Bella's hand and led her into one of the instruction rooms, motioning Stacie to follow. They walked into a classroom of kids who looked to be around ten years old. There were six girls and one boy. One or two of them glanced in their direction, but most of them continued to follow the teacher. Stacie was watching the group, and she was impressed with their technique. It was obvious to her that these children had been trained well. This was just the kind of studio she wanted her daughter to attend. She glanced over at her daughter, who was over the moon. She had a huge grin as she watched the other kids leap and turn. Stacie turned to look at the teacher and she thought she'd died and gone to heaven. She was gorgeous! She was in a leotard and tights, and her body was flawless. She couldn't help but rake her eyes up and down the woman's body. She hoped the teacher hadn't noticed.

Jessica led them back to the waiting room. Stacie was about to say something when Bella exclaimed, "Sign me up! Sign me up! I want to jump and spin and I want to wear what the big girls were wearing!"

"Okay, slow down. Remember what I said about dance class?"

"I have to finish all three months."

"Yes," said Stacie. Jessica opened her mouth to remind Stacie what she'd said on the phone but quickly got the message with a subtle shake of her head.

"Would you like me to fit her for shoes and a leotard and tights while you fill out the registration forms?"

"That would be great."

Stacie filled out the forms while Bella went into one of the other rooms at the studio with Jessica to try things on. She always felt a twinge of guilt when she filled out the parent information and had to leave the "father or second guardian" section blank. She hadn't even put Bella's father's name on the birth certificate. He'd made it clear when Stacie had told him she was pregnant that he wasn't sticking around if she kept the baby. Stacie couldn't imagine not keeping the baby, and she was lucky to have the support of her family and friends throughout her pregnancy and the six years of her daughter's life. Still, being a single parent was tough. She rarely went on dates. Finding and paying a babysitter was difficult enough, and most people weren't terribly interested in dating a single mother. Stacie didn't have a preference with regard to gender, but she felt like that just meant there were more people who didn't want to date her once they found out she had a child. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and filled out the rest of the forms.

Bella came out with a pair of tap shoes on her feet, stomping away. "Hey, Mommy, I get to make noise with my feet!"

"I can hear that," said Stacie, covering her ears.

Jessica handed Stacie a few leotards. "You can take her into the bathroom and let her try them on if you like. I took a guess at her size. Just holler if you need more to try."

"Thanks."

"Do I get a tutu?" asked Bella.

"We don't allow them for class, but you'll probably have one for the performance. You can wear a ballet skirt, though, if you want. A couple of the leotards I grabbed have them attached already." Jessica grabbed a ballet skirt off the rack to show her what she meant.

"Okay," said Bella.

Bella began to stomp her feet again to hear the taps, and Stacie said, "Let's take those off and hand them to Miss Jessica, okay?"

Bella nodded and bent down to unbuckle the shoes. She handed them to Miss Jessica and followed her mom into the bathroom.

Stacie helped Bella try on a few leotards. Two of them fit, and Stacie let her choose. Bella chose a black one with an attached skirt. Stacie was sure she'd go for the pink one, but Bella was adamant.

Stacie paid for the items and the dance classes and left, managing to find everything she needed in Bella's size. This would certainly save her some money. She just hoped her daughter's enthusiasm meant she'd stick with the ballet lessons. She was certainly more excited than she'd been for soccer, swim team, or karate.

* * *

Aubrey had finished teaching the last class of the evening. Grabbing her water bottle, she greeted Jessica. "So, how many kids do we have signed up for the spring beginner class?"

"We have six so far," Jessica replied, handing Aubrey a small stack of registration papers.

"Great," Aubrey said.

Trying to sound casual, she asked, "So, who was the little girl you brought in during my intermediate class?"

Jessica smiled. "You mean the one whose mom was checking you out?"

Aubrey's cheeks turned pink. She cleared her throat. "So...you noticed that too?"

"Yeah," she said. "Let me find her registration paper." She thumbed through the stack. "Here." She handed Aubrey the paper.

"She lives nearby, and there's no father or 'second guardian' listed," said Aubrey.

"Go get 'er, Tiger," teased Jessica.

"Stop," said Aubrey. "She's not the first parent to check me out."

"Well, no, but I don't recall you ever checking that same day to see if that parent is single."

"She might be dating someone. You never know."

"You're hopeless," said Jessica.

"You know you have no room to talk. Ashley had to practically hit you over the head to get you to realize that she wasn't asking you out to dinner as a _friend."_

"Point taken," said Jessica. She'd gotten married to her longtime girlfriend that previous summer. Aubrey loved to tease Jessica about the fact that she'd actually had to ask Aubrey if she thought it was a date when Ashley had asked her to dinner at a nice restaurant downtown. She'd even told that story as part of her wedding toast as the maid of honor.

"Okay, why don't you head out for the night? I'll lock up."

"Thanks. Good night, Aubrey!"

"Good night, Jessica! Tell Ashley I said hello!"

Aubrey smiled to herself as she looked again at Bella Conrad's registration form. _I sure hope Stacie is single, _she thought to herself.

* * *

It was time for Bella's first dance class. Stacie had lost count of the number of times she'd ask to ask Bella to stand still while she tried to get her into the leotard and tights she'd chosen for class. After she'd finally wrestled her overexcited six-year-old into the outfit, she'd had to tell her several times that she was NOT permitted to wear her ballet shoes outside. Tap shoes weren't allowed outside either. It was a studio policy that dance shoes weren't to be worn outside as it tracked dirt into the studio while also ruining the shoes themselves. She finally managed to get her daughter in the car and to the dance studio on time, something she considered a miracle after trying to get her out the door.

Stacie walked into the studio, put Bella's ballet shoes on her feet, and handed her a small tote bag with her tap shoes and a water bottle. Stacie had been thrilled to find her first ballet tote bag in her attic. Aside from the obvious benefit of not having to purchase one, it squeezed her heart to see her little girl using it. Bella was the first one in line when Jessica called her class to line up. Once they opened the door, she didn't even look back. Stacie wasn't sure whether to smile or cry. Was this really the little girl who had hidden behind her leg the day they were registering?

Stacie chose to wait for Bella's class to end, rather than using that time to relax or run errands. She had some work e-mails to catch up on, and the studio waiting area had wi-fi. She looked over at another mother in the waiting area who appeared to be doing the same thing and exchanged a smile.

"Let me guess, your kid suckered you into registering for dance class too, and now you're squeezing in a few work e-mails while you wait?" asked Stacie.

"Yup," said the woman. "I really wish I had someone to help me with these things. But it's just me and Maddie."

"Just me and Bella, too. It's tough not getting out much. I haven't been on a date in forever. It seems like the minute I mention Bella, my date disappears. I'm Stacie, by the way."

"Barb," said the other woman. "Maddie seems to have the same effect on the men I date. It sucks, but she's totally worth it."

"Bella sure is," said Stacie. "I know we just met, but I could give you my number if you want. I could take Maddie off your hands if you can sometimes take Bella off of mine."

"I'd like that," said Barb. She asked Stacie for her number and then texted her so Stacie would have hers.

"Thanks," said Stacie.

Jessica walked around from behind the front desk. She handed the women flyers for an event at the studio. "I overheard the two of you talking, and I wanted to mention we have a program at the studio once a month for parents who want to get out."

On the flyer, it said "Parents' Night Out." The date was listed as three weeks from that Friday. It was from 6-9 pm, and it was only $5. It promised safe supervision for up to twenty children. The only requirements were that the children were toilet-trained and a student or sibling of a student at the studio.

Stacie asked, "How on earth do you guys do this for $5?"

"We have quite a few teenagers who need volunteer hours for school, and we always have one or two adult staff members present. The $5 really just covers the pizza, drinks, and snacks for the kids. It's certainly up to you, but the kids always seem to have a good time."

"That's awesome," said Barb. "Now if I could only get a date."

"Can't help you there, I'm taken," said Jessica.

"Why don't we sign up?" asked Stacie. "If neither of us finds a date, we can go somewhere together. Even Target without Bella would be like a vacation."

"Let's do that," said Barb. She pulled $5 out of her wallet and handed it to Jessica, and Stacie did the same.

Shortly after that, the class was over and six kids emerged, all wearing big grins. Stacie walked up to the teacher. "Hi, I'm Stacie. I'm Bella's mom. How did it go?"

"Oh, it went well. She was very well-behaved, and she picked things up quickly. She's got a knack for this."

"I'm glad to hear it. We'll see you next week," said Stacie. She turned to her daughter. "Say goodbye to Miss Aubrey."

"Bye, Miss Aubrey!" exclaimed Bella, running up to give her teacher a hug.

Stacie's eyes widened. She'd never seen Bella run up to anyone except herself and close family members for a hug.

"Everything okay?" asked Aubrey.

"Yes, thanks," said Stacie. "This is just unusual for Bella. I'll take it as a good sign."

"Great," she said. "Okay, Bella, I have to teach other kids now. Go home with your Mommy and make sure you practice, okay?"

"I will," said Bella, nodding vigorously.

* * *

At the end of the evening, Aubrey walked up to Jessica, who was straightening up her things at the front desk.

"So..." began Jessica. "I helped you out a little."

"Jess, what are you talking about? You're always helping me. You work here!"

"That's not what I mean. I overheard Stacie talking to Barb – Maddie's mom – and they were lamenting about how hard it was to go out on dates as single parents. I convinced them to sign up for Parents' Night Out. Looks like you have about three weeks to ask Stacie out. Unless she finds a date before then. Otherwise, she and Barb are going to be spending their evening at Target."

Aubrey stood still, just blinking.

"Hey, where'd you go?" asked Jessica.

Aubrey shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Nowhere. I'm just...how did you-?"

"I know a match when I see one. I saw Stacie checking you out last week, and I've seen the way you look at her. I thought you could use a wingman."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Aubrey, if you two were cartoon characters, you'd have huge hearts for eyes every time you looked at each other."

Aubrey's face flushed.

"You know I'm right," said Jessica.

"Shut up."

"And, on that note, I'm out for the night. See you later!"

Aubrey waved as Jessica left. Had Aubrey been that obvious? She definitely found Stacie attractive, there was no denying that. But, had she been giving her the "heart eyes" as Jessica had said? If Jessica noticed it, who else noticed? The other thing to consider was exactly how, where, and when was she going to ask Stacie on a date once she worked up the nerve? Aubrey mulled all of this over in her head as she went through the studio, collecting a few items that had been left in the various changing rooms, turning off the lights, and locking the doors.

* * *

Stacie found herself in the same position a week later while Bella was in class. This time, she remembered to bring her work laptop. She caught up on e-mails and went over the presentation she'd be giving the next morning at her meeting. She finally stopped about five minutes before Bella's class was scheduled to end.

"Busy day?" asked Barb.

"Yes," said Stacie. "Big presentation tomorrow. I guess you could say I'm cramming."

"Ah," said Barb. "Have you found a date for Parents' Night Out?"

"No," said Stacie. "I'm pretty sure I'll be roaming the aisles of Target with you."

Barb looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, you won't be doing that. I mean...I won't be going to Target."

"You have a date?"

Barb nodded a little sheepishly.

"Barb, that's great! Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine at Target myself."

"You're not mad?"

"No, go have fun. Just be prepared to give me the details later, okay?"

Barb's face broke into a grin. "I will."

* * *

Jessica grabbed Aubrey's attention quickly as she was letting Bella's class out. She'd written something on a sticky note and handed it to her.

Aubrey looked at the note, and it simply said, "ASK HER" in big letters. She looked at Jessica, who said nothing. She chose instead to subtly nod her head in Stacie's direction.

Aubrey took a deep breath. She was either going to thank Jessica or kill her for this. She wasn't sure which. She got Stacie's attention as she came to retrieve her daughter. She cleared her throat. "Hi, Stacie. Can I talk to you alone for a minute? Bella can sit at the desk with Miss Jessica."

Stacie furrowed her brow. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," said Aubrey. "I just needed to discuss something privately."

Stacie turned to her daughter. "Bella, can you help Miss Jessica at the desk for a minute? Mommy and Miss Aubrey need to talk real quick."

"Okay," said Bella.

Stacie saw Jessica helping her daughter into her street shoes as she and Aubrey went into the classroom. Aubrey shut the door behind them.

"What's going on?" asked Stacie. "Did Bella have a problem?"

"Oh, everything's fine," said Aubrey. "Bella's great."

"So, what did you want to discuss?"

"Right," said Aubrey. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go on a date. We can go on Parents' Night Out."

Stacie smiled. "Is _that_ why Jessica talked me into signing Bella up?"

"Well, partially, I guess. Yes, she was hoping we'd date. She saw something between the two of us, and she said I needed a wingman. She figured you'd like a night out anyway, even if it wasn't to go on a date with me. It's cool if you don't want to go. I promise it won't change how I treat Bella."

"Oh, I want to go. I was just surprised. Dating hasn't been easy since having her. The minute anyone finds out I'm a single mother, they're gone. I've had a few dates go to the bathroom and never come back."

"Well, I already know about Bella and I still want to take you out. I promise if I go to the bathroom, I'll come back. I'm so sorry people have done that to you."

"Thanks, but it's okay. I look at it as the trash taking itself out. Bella and I are a package deal."

"Of course you are," said Aubrey. She glanced at the clock in the room. "I have to teach my next class. I get out of here at 9. Can I call you once I'm home?"

"Sure. Bella will be in bed by then."

* * *

Stacie dropped Bella off at the studio for Parents' Night Out, and she barely got a "Bye, Mom!" out of her. Stacie was happy Bella was enjoying her dance class and excited to spend time with her friends. She'd struck up a friendship with Maddie as well as a few other kids from her class that would be attending.

She headed to a dinner theater near the studio to meet Aubrey. Both women thought it best they were not seen leaving the studio together, at least not for their first date.

Aubrey had purchased tickets to A Chorus Line for the two of them, insisting on paying for the date. The dinner and show would run in time for Stacie to drop Bella off and pick her up from Parents' Night Out on time. The musical was really fun, and Stacie was super excited when Aubrey had suggested that particular show. It had been a favorite of hers for a while.

The dinner theater had a buffet dinner that began about an hour before the show. This worked out to be an excellent time to get to know each other. Once they were seated with plates of food, Aubrey started talking.

"I've really enjoyed teaching Bella. She's a great kid."

"She enjoys your class so much. She's tried a bunch of different things, but nothing has held her interest like dance." Stacie explained about the disasters that had been soccer, martial arts, and the swim team.

Aubrey laughed. "Well, I'm glad she likes it."

"Me too. I guess she takes after me. I used to dance as a kid. I even competed for a while."

"I didn't know that. That's really cool. I was an army brat. My parents found dance studios for me everywhere we moved, but we never stayed in one place long enough for me to join a competition team."

"Too bad. Those are some of the best memories of my childhood," said Stacie, smiling. "So, you were an army brat. What else can you tell me about yourself?"

"I'm an only child. I guess my parents thought dragging one child all over the world was enough. I didn't like moving around so much, but I learned to make friends easily. We usually lived on base, so I usually attended schools with other kids who moved around a lot. I guess we were all just used to it."

"Do you still keep in touch with any of them?"

"Some. I have an excellent memory for names, and I've found quite a few of them on social media. I lost a few when I came out of the closet, though."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Keep in mind, almost all of their parents were in the military before 'Don't ask, don't tell' began. A lot of the kids had parents who hated having anyone except straight people in the military. I came out as gay in college. I think about a third of people I'd gone to school with on military bases unfriended me when I announced it on social media. I was sad at first, but I guess it's like what you said about people bailing on you when they found out you had a kid. It's like the trash took itself out."

"Ouch."

"I don't want to be friends with people who won't accept me the way I am. My parents were surprisingly fine with it when I told them."

"That's good. I came out as pan a while ago, and I had to explain to my family what that meant."

"I imagine so."

"It's cool, though. I never would have gotten through my pregnancy and beyond with Bella without them," said Stacie. "And, since I know you're too polite to ask, Bella's father is not in the picture whatsoever. He's never even seen her, and I'm not even sure he knows I had a girl, much less her name."

"So, you've been alone the whole time?"

"Well, I have friends and family who help when I need it. I have two older brothers who are awesome uncles, but they're not local and neither are my parents anymore. They moved to Florida a year ago when they retired. It's usually just Bella and me. I don't mind. She's worth it. I do miss companionship, though."

"I'm glad I took you out, then."

Their conversation had to end when the lights in the theater blinked, signaling the show was about to begin.

Stacie noticed Aubrey watching the first number intently. She didn't want to talk during the show, so she made a mental note to ask her about it during intermission.

_Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!  
__Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!  
__Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!  
__Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Right!  
__That connects with...  
__Turn, turn, out, in, jump, step,  
__Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch.  
__Got it?... Going on. And...  
__Turn, turn, touch, down, back, step,  
__Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk._

_Right! Let's do the whole combination,  
__Facing away from the mirror.  
__From the top. A-Five, six, seven, eight!_

Stacie was the thoughtful one during "At The Ballet." She hoped that her daughter wouldn't be able to relate too much to the Maggie character in the third verse when she was older.

_I don't know what they were for or against, really, except each other.  
__I mean I was born to save their marriage, but when my father came to pick my mother up at the hospital, he said, "Well, I thought this was going to help, but I guess it's not."  
__Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life.  
__I used to dance around the living room with my arms up like this.  
__My fantasy was that he was an Indian Chief, and he'd say to me, "Maggie, do you wanna dance?"  
__And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to dance!"_

She wanted to marry someone and not have her daughter feel like she was deprived of not having another parent in her life. It was too soon to be thinking about that with Aubrey, but it was nice to be dating someone who was well aware of Bella and even liked the little girl.

When intermission began, Stacie remembered to ask Aubrey about the first number. "So, what were you thinking during 'I Hope I Get It?'"

"You noticed. I do that sometimes when I hear a song. I was just thinking that I should choreograph a number for the older performance company in the recital. I could choreograph them all being in an audition, and...it's stupid, isn't it?"

"Not at all. I think that would be really fun. And they could just wear dance clothes – no costume needed."

"That's true. I have some thinking to do, but I bet they could pull it off. It's certainly not a shy group. I'll let them come up with personalities for the audition. It will be better if they figure it out themselves."

"That would be fun. Maybe it could open the show?"

"Might work. I was already closing the show with 'One.' So, what were you thinking during 'At the Ballet?'"

"Oh, the third verse. I just heard it and thought of Bella. Except her father flew the coop the minute I saw two lines on the test. There wasn't even a marriage for her to save, not that I'd do that to a kid anyway. Sometimes, I hate that she only has me."

"She's a super well-adjusted kid, from what I can see in class. I think you're doing fine. But I can see why you think that."

"I just hope I won't be a single mother forever. But it's even harder because I have Bella. I can't just marry anybody. They have to be right for her."

"So, I guess since we're still on this date, I'm doing okay."

"Getting ahead of yourself there."

"Just having a good time. No pressure."

Their conversation ended again when the lights blinked, signaling the end of intermission. Stacie moved her chair so she could sit closer to Aubrey. She noticed a smile from the woman, and they were holding hands by the end of the first number of the second half.

Stacie heard the introduction to "Dance Ten, Looks Three" and had a clever idea. This was either going to go well, or there wasn't going to be a second date. She figured this would be a fun way to see if Aubrey had a sense of humor.

Once the singer began the line "Tits and Ass" Stacie started to imitate her movements and lip sync the words.

_Tits and ass.  
__Bought myself a fancy pair.  
__Tightened up the derriere.  
__Did the nose with it.  
__All that goes with it._

_Tits and ass!  
__Had the bingo-bongos done.  
__Suddenly I'm getting national tours!  
__Tits and ass won't get you jobs  
__Unless they're yours._

_Didn't cost a fortune neither.  
__Didn't hurt my sex life either._

Aubrey glanced over and began to blush crimson and gave Stacie a light slap on the arm. Stacie winked at her and continued. Both women were laughing by the time the song was over, and Stacie was relieved that her bold move hadn't ended in a disaster.

After the show was over, Aubrey said to her, "So...did you buy yours?"

Stacie looked puzzled for a moment until she realized Aubrey was looking at her breasts. "That's for me to know and you to find out later."

Aubrey paused for a second. "Does that mean you're giving me a second date?"

"Yes," said Stacie. "Yes, it does."

"Great," said Aubrey. "I'll see what I can do to help you with a babysitter."

Stacie checked her watch. "I need to go get Bella. Let's touch base soon and see about that second date. My treat!"

* * *

Stacie walked into the studio, finding a very excited little girl. "Did you have fun, little lady?"

"Yeah," said Bella. "Miss Jessica and Miss Ashley are the best. We had pizza, and I drew you a picture. And I played Twister with Maddie and Sophia."

"That's great, honey. Why don't you get your things together?" Bella nodded and went to get the picture she drew and put her coat on.

"How was she?" Stacie asked Jessica.

"Oh, she was no trouble at all," she said. A woman with brown curly hair and brown eyes walked up behind Jessica.

"I'm Ashley, Jessica's wife," she said, shaking Stacie's hand.

"Stacie."

Jessica looked to make sure the other parents were out of earshot and whispered, "So, how'd it go?"

Stacie whispered back, "We're going on a second date once I can get a babysitter."

Ashley and Jessica exchanged glances for a few seconds before Jessica said, "You have two of them."

Stacie furrowed her brow. "You'd do that? How much?"

"Free," said Ashley. "Bella's great, and we'd love to see Aubrey happy."

"This is some serious wingman stuff," said Stacie. "It's a deal."

"Mommy! I'm ready!" exclaimed Bella.

"Okay, please thank Miss Jessica and Miss Ashley."

"Thank you," said Bella.

"You're welcome," they replied.

"We'll talk later," said Stacie. "See you soon!"

Stacie smiled to herself as she buckled Bella's seat belt.

"Why are you smiling Mommy?"

"I had a good time, and now I'm really happy to see you."

"Oh. I'm happy to see you too."

"Let's get you home and to bed."

"Bed? Why?" Bella yawned as Stacie was about to answer.

"That's why."

After they got home and Stacie had tucked Bella into bed, she texted Aubrey, who had already heard about Jessica and Ashley's offer to babysit. Stacie was really happy with how her life was going right now. Her daughter seemed to finally have found an activity she liked, and she'd had an awesome date with someone who already liked Bella. She sure was glad Bella had brought that flyer home and begged to start dance class.

* * *

A/N: It's worth searching YouTube for videos of A Chorus Line (either the movie or the musical). Lyrics used are from the musical version.


	2. Chapter 2

Anonymous prompt on Tumblr: Hey, could you do a fic of the pictures camp put up? And the video she was tagged in pushing Alexis' daughter? I just found your blog so I'm reading through all your fics

A/N: Hey Anon, hope you like this. I made it a continuation of this one from Staubrey Week.

* * *

It had been three months since Stacie and Aubrey's first date. Since then, they'd been doing their best to keep their relationship quiet.

Stacie and Aubrey had plenty of reasons to keep things to themselves. For one thing, Aubrey was Bella's dance teacher. Bella had completed the three-month spring session of dance, and she'd immediately begged her mother for more dance lessons. Stacie had obliged the little girl as she'd practically been dancing non-stop since her first lesson. She frequently found the little girl practicing her ballet steps, using the arm of the couch as a barre. She'd tap her feet in rhythm on the kitchen floor. It seemed she'd really found her thing, and Stacie was thrilled.

The other reason the two women hadn't taken things public was that Stacie hadn't yet told Bella. She felt it was unreasonable to expect a six-year-old girl to keep such things quiet. Bella was mature for her age, but the idea of her mother dating her dance teacher was something about which both of them knew Bella would be far too excited to keep to herself.

Stacie asked Aubrey to come to her place for an intimate dinner while Bella had a sleepover with Jessica and Ashley. Stacie couldn't believe the two of them were willing to babysit the little girl for free, usually overnight. She'd tried to pay them money, but they'd turned her down every time. She settled for occasionally having Bella help her bake cookies for them.

Stacie's doorbell rang fifteen minutes before she'd asked Aubrey to come over. The woman was almost always early for everything. She greeted her girlfriend with a chaste kiss. Aubrey had two bottles of wine in her hand. "Red or white? I wasn't sure what you were making."

"Red. I made chicken parmigiana."

"Sounds delicious," said Aubrey, handing Stacie the bottle.

The timer beeped just as Stacie had opened the wine and was pouring each of them a glass. Stacie took the chicken out of the oven and then drained the pasta. She made each of them a plate and brought it to the kitchen table.

"Before we eat," said Stacie as she took her seat. "I'd like to make a toast."

"Oh?"

"To three months with my best girl," said Stacie. They both said "Cheers!" as they clinked glasses.

A few bites in, Aubrey said, "This is amazing. Where did you get the recipe?"

"Mrs. Mirra," said Stacie. "She's the neighbor who watches Bella for me in the mornings."

"Nice," said Aubrey.

They ate for a while before anyone said anything else. Once the plates were empty, Stacie brought up the reason she'd invited Aubrey to her home.

"So, it's our three-month anniversary."

"Yes, it is," said Aubrey. "I figured that was why you wanted to have dinner."

"It is, but there's something else."

"What?"

"I think we should take things public."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," said Stacie. "I'm tired of hiding things. I think Bella can handle it, and I don't care what anyone at the studio says." Stacie took a deep breath. "What I'm saying is...I love you and I want everyone to know!" Stacie's hand flew to her mouth when she realized she hadn't yet told Aubrey that she loved her and that she'd just blurted out the words.

"Stacie," said Aubrey. "You _love_ me?"

Stacie knew there was no going back, and she was serious about her feelings. "I do. Aubrey Posen, I love you."

Aubrey's eyes glistened with tears. "Stacie Conrad, I love you too!" She got up from the table, walked around to Stacie's place, threw her arms around her neck and crashed her lips onto Stacie's as she slid into her lap.

"Wow," said Aubrey when they finally came up for air. "Okay. If you're okay with it, then so am I. But, we really need to tell Bella first."

"Absolutely," said Stacie. "I think she will be excited."

"I think so too," said Aubrey.

Aubrey insisted on washing the dishes, despite Stacie's protests. "Where I come from, if you don't cook dinner, you clean it up. So you sit back and relax while I get the dishes."

"Yes, ma'am," said Stacie as she poured herself another glass of wine. "More wine?"

"Please."

She poured each of them another glass of wine and brought both glasses into the living room. She took a sip while Aubrey washed the dishes, waiting for her girlfriend to join her before finishing her drink.

Once Aubrey was done, she sat down on the couch next to Stacie. "Is Bella staying over with Jess and Ashley tonight?"

"Yup," said Stacie. "They insisted when I told them it was our three-month anniversary."

"Nice," said Aubrey. "We owe them big time."

"So, two batches of cookies next time?"

"Maybe we'll throw in a bottle of wine as well."

"I'm sure they'll like that," said Stacie. "So, would _you_ like to stay overnight?"

"It's our three-month anniversary, and your little lady is at a sleepover for the night. I thought that was implied."

"It was, but I thought I'd ask anyway."

"I'm sleeping over for sure. I _think_ I need to check another time if they're real," said Aubrey, eyeing Stacie's breasts.

"Oh, you do?" asked Stacie, winking.

"I do. I don't think you bought yourself a fancy pair," said Aubrey, quoting the song Stacie had lip-synced on their first date. "But, you know, I can't be _sure_..."

Stacie grabbed Aubrey's hand and led her to the bedroom. "I guess you'd better check," said Stacie.

"I promise to give them a _thorough_ examination," said Aubrey.

* * *

The next morning, after they'd slept in and had a leisurely breakfast, Aubrey asked, "When do you want to tell Bella?"

"As soon as possible," said Stacie.

"Are you getting Bella or are Jess and Ashley bringing her back here?"

"I left her booster seat with them because they wanted to take her out to eat. So, they could bring her here if we'd prefer that."

"Why don't you have them do that? We can tell Bella together when she gets home."

"I like that a lot," said Stacie. She texted Jess, and she replied that they'd happily bring Bella home. Stacie explained that Aubrey was still at the house and that they'd be telling Bella about their relationship. Jess wished them luck and promised she wouldn't say anything to Bella about it.

About an hour later, Jess and Ashley brought Bella home. The little girl yelled, "Mommy!" and ran up to her mom to give her a hug. "Miss Jessica and Miss Ashley and I made a cake for you," she said, pointing to the cake pan in Ashley's hand. She glanced over and furrowed her brow when she spotted her dance teacher. "Mommy, why is Miss Aubrey here?"

Stacie opened her mouth to speak, but Aubrey beat her to it. "Because your Mommy is very special to me Bella."

"We'll just go into the kitchen and cut up the cake for everyone," said Jess. Stacie was thankful they'd allowed them a little privacy.

"Mommy is special to you?" asked Bella. "Why?"

"Because we love each other," said Stacie.

"So, is Miss Aubrey going to be my other mommy?" asked Bella.

Stacie chewed on her bottom lip. She didn't know why she hadn't thought about that one.

"Sweetheart," said Aubrey. "I love your mommy very much, but we don't know the answer to that question yet. We've been together for three months now, and that's a little too early for most people to decide whether or not they want to marry somebody."

"But you'll still be my dance teacher, right?"

"I sure will," said Aubrey.

"So, what do you think?" asked Stacie.

"I think Maddie is going to be jealous," said Bella with an impish grin.

"Why is that?" asked Stacie.

"Because her mommy has a boyfriend, and she said she doesn't like him because he's not her daddy. If you marry Miss Aubrey, then I get two mommies. And then I don't need a daddy."

"Bella, did you think you needed a daddy?" asked Stacie.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. I never had one. But Mia and Nora said I need a daddy if I want nice things."

Stacie clenched her fists. She knew Mia and Nora's mothers looked down on her for being a single mom, but she hadn't realized things had gotten that bad. She mentally kicked herself for not saying something to their mothers earlier. One of the girls, Stacie couldn't remember which one, had made a snide remark about how Bella's birthday party hadn't been as nice as hers because she didn't have a daddy. The little girl had been shushed by her mother, who claimed she'd had no idea where her daughter had heard such a thing. Stacie hadn't believed her for a minute.

Aubrey put a hand on Stacie's back, trying to calm down her girlfriend before she said something she'd later regret. "Bella, you have a mommy that loves you more than she can ever say. And that's all anyone ever needs. Just one person who loves you no matter what."

"Really?" asked Bella, eyes widened.

"Really," said Aubrey. "And I bet you have more than that. You have your grandparents, your uncles, and you have me."

"I do?" asked Bella.

"You sure do," said Aubrey. "I love your mommy so, so much, and, because of that, I love you very much too."

Bella threw her arms around Aubrey. "I love you too, Miss Aubrey."

Stacie stood silently watching the exchange, tears in her eyes, just wondering how she'd gotten so lucky. She'd initially been so angry at Bella's "sperm donor" when he left, but she then realized he'd done her a huge favor. Had he not left when he had, Stacie may never have had the chance to find real love. She knew in her heart that Aubrey was it for her, and it looked like Aubrey felt the same way.

Jess and Ashley called out from the kitchen, "Who wants cake?"

Bella screamed, "I do!" and ran for the kitchen. They all ate some cake. Bella chattered on about how she'd helped Miss Jess and Miss Ashley bake the cake.

Stacie heard Aubrey and Jessica murmuring to each other. She figured Aubrey was giving her the details of their conversation, even though Stacie knew they'd likely heard every word. The townhouse wasn't very big.

Once they'd finished their cake, Bella asked, "Miss Aubrey, can you push me on my swing?"

"Sure!" called Aubrey as she followed the little girl out back.

Stacie's yard wasn't big enough for a swingset, so her father had set up a swing mounted under the covered porch. Stacie couldn't resist taking a short video of the two of them together. Aubrey noticed Stacie taking video and posed in between pushes. She figured she'd post that to her Instagram page once they'd told more people about their relationship. It would make a cute Boomerang video.

After the others left and Stacie was tucking Bella into bed, she had a short talk with her. "So, are you sure you're okay with Mommy and Miss Aubrey dating?"

"Yeah," said Bella. "It's good."

"I do have one thing I'm going to ask of you, and it's super important that you do as I ask."

"What?"

"I need you to keep it a secret. Just for a little while."

"Why?"

"We want to tell everyone ourselves."

"When are you going to do that?"

"Soon. I promise."

"Okay, Mommy," said Bella. "Good night."

"Good night."

* * *

A few weeks later, it was Stacie's birthday. Her neighbor, Mrs. Mirra, was a partial owner of a family restaurant. She talked with her family and convinced them to rent their outdoor patio area to Stacie at a discounted price. It was a milestone, Stacie's thirtieth, and the neighbor insisted that she throw a big party to celebrate. Stacie invited Jessica and Ashley, some of her coworkers, and a few of her daughter's friends and their parents. She was a little nervous because quite a few of the guests were parents of other kids in Bella's dance class. She hadn't even told Barb that she was dating Aubrey. She and Aubrey had decided that Stacie's party was a good time and place to share that they were together.

Stacie paced around waiting for the guests to arrive. "Stacie, if this patio wasn't stone, you'd have worn a hole in the floor by now," said Aubrey.

"I'm sorry," said Stacie. "I'm just...I don't know how people will react."

"It's going to be fine," said Aubrey. "We love each other, and I'm sure people will see that. Anybody who doesn't support us can leave."

Stacie took a deep breath. "You're right. I can do this."

"We don't have to tell everybody today," said Aubrey.

"I want to tell everybody. I'm just scared. That's all."

Aubrey took both of Stacie's hands in hers and kissed them. "It's going to be fine."

Stacie nodded. She didn't have much longer to worry before the guests began to arrive. Jessica and Ashley were first, embracing both women as well as a very excited Bella.

"You guys ready for this?" asked Jessica.

"Ready as we'll ever be," said Stacie.

"Mia! Nora!" exclaimed Bella, running to greet her friends. Stacie graciously greeted the girls and their parents, thanking them for coming. The mothers greeted Aubrey, but they surprised Stacie by not asking any questions as to why she was there.

Barb, Maddie, and Barb's new boyfriend Donald arrived next. Barb looked at Stacie and pulled her aside. "So, where's this mystery man you've been seeing?"

"You'll find out," said Stacie. "And he's a she, by the way."

"Didn't know you played for that team."

"I play for both teams. Actually, all teams. I've never had a gender preference."

"Interesting," said Barb. "Well, I can't wait to meet her."

Stacie let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding once Barb walked away. Barb didn't seem to have a problem with Stacie dating a woman, but she wasn't sure how she'd react when she found out Stacie was dating the girls' dance teacher.

A few other guests arrived, and the party was in full swing. A DJ played music, and the kids were the first ones out on the dance floor. Stacie and Aubrey couldn't help but laugh at the little girls' antics. Bella started the whole group in what she called the "Bella Conrad booty shake."

"I did _not_ teach them that!" exclaimed Aubrey.

"Neither did I!" exclaimed Stacie, putting an arm around her girlfriend.

"Were you going to make some sort of announcement?" asked Aubrey.

"I thought about it, but that seems, like, super weird. Let's just let them figure it out," said Stacie.

Aubrey pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Hold on. Let's get a selfie together."

Stacie turned toward Aubrey, puckering her lips. Just after the shutter noise clicked, she turned her head and planted a kiss on Aubrey's lips. They broke apart as they heard a few cheers and wolf whistles.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Barb. "_Aubrey_ is your mystery woman?"

Stacie felt her cheeks warm a little. "Yes," she said.

Barb walked over to the couple. "Well, I guess I understand why you didn't tell me much about your dates. I'm really happy for you."

"So, you're not freaked out that I'm dating our daughters' dance teacher?"

"No. I think it's great. How did Bella take it? I'm assuming she already knew because she doesn't look surprised."

"She was pretty happy. I'm amazed she kept the secret. We told her a few weeks ago."

"That's better than Maddie. She's mad that I'm dating Donald. She said he's not her daddy and she doesn't want him around. It's not like I can tell a six-year-old that her father left me for some bimbo he met at a strip club."

"Bella never even met her father. He was gone right after I told him I was pregnant and was keeping the baby. I was upset, but now I think he did me a favor," said Stacie, glancing over at her girlfriend.

"I'd say he did," said Barb. "I need to get back to Maddie. I'll let you spend some time with your girl."

"Thanks, Barb."

"Hey, Stacie?" asked Aubrey.

"Yes?"

"Can I post this on Instagram?"

Stacie looked over at the photo. She had to admit it was kind of cute.

"Sure, but let me try something real quick before you post. Hand me your phone, please."

Aubrey looked puzzled but handed the phone over.

Stacie typed "#Staubrey [heart emoji]"

"Staubrey?" asked Aubrey.

"Our ship name."

"Why do we need a ship name?"

"I just thought it was cute. Like TomKat."

"Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes? That was a super weird relationship."

"Okay. Bad example. Brangelina?"

"Didn't they file for divorce?"

"Kimye?"

"Okay," said Aubrey. "Staubrey. I love it." She hit the button to post the picture.

"And I love you," said Stacie, giving her girlfriend another kiss.

"Get a room, you two!" yelled a party guest with a chuckle.

Bella ran over to the couple. "I was right. Maddie's _so_ jealous." Bella giggled.

"I'm sure she is," said Stacie. "But try to be a friend. Think about how rotten you'd feel if I dated somebody you didn't like."

Bella's brow furrowed for a minute. "Okay. I'll try and help her."

"That's my girl," said Stacie. She turned to Aubrey. "Hey, send that pic to me, please. I want to post it too."

"Sure," said Aubrey. She sent the picture to Stacie.

Stacie posted the photo with the same hashtag. "It's time to announce three months with my love, aubrey_posen_dance_teacher."

She then posted the video she'd taken of Aubrey pushing Bella on the swing as a Boomerang video on her Instagram story.

"Well, it's on Instagram now, so no turning back," said Aubrey. "Love the video of Bella and me."

"I wouldn't dream of turning back," said Stacie.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This idea just came to me. I thought we could all use some fluff right now!

* * *

_About Two Years Later_

It had been nearly two years since Aubrey and Stacie had gone on their first date. That weekend, the dance studio's competition teams happened to be competing near where Aubrey's parents lived. Bella had been among the seven dancers chosen for the studio's first "mini" performing company, a competing and performing group for children ages seven through nine. Several parents and other students had cried favoritism when Bella was chosen, but her score for her solo that year spoke for itself. Aubrey had given each student a solo to compete, and Bella had scored higher than any of the others. Bella performed a jazz solo to "Shake It Off." The judges and audience had really enjoyed her personality. Stacie was just glad Bella didn't fall during her acro tricks. Aubrey had hired an old college friend, Flo, to teach acro classes. Bella had done well, but it made her poor mother very nervous. Both Aubrey and Flo had assured her that Bella would be fine, but Stacie still worried.

Aubrey's parents had insisted that she, Stacie, and Bella stay with them the weekend of the competition. Stacie had been concerned that Aubrey's parents may not approve of their daughter dating a single mother when she'd met them shortly after their first date, but they'd accepted her and Bella with open arms. Bella even had her own room at their house. She'd spent a week with them over the summer while Stacie and Aubrey took a vacation, and she'd been so proud to show off the bedroom she'd helped paint and decorate.

Stacie was happy to stay at their place, a nice house on the beach, especially this time. She knew Aubrey's dad was a traditional man, and she had a very important question to ask him. As soon as Aubrey had crawled out of bed and started the shower, Stacie quietly slipped out of the room. She glanced briefly in her daughter's room and confirmed that the little girl was still fast asleep, worn out from the excitement and exertion of the previous day's competition.

She walked downstairs to the kitchen, knowing she'd find General Posen there, sipping coffee.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning, Stacie," he said. "You look like you have something on your mind."

"I do," said Stacie. She took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you today because I have some important news to discuss. First, I want to tell you how much I've enjoyed getting to know you and Linda, and how much I appreciate my daughter and I being welcomed into the family. You are wonderful parents, and I know that Aubrey is such a kind and caring person today because of that. Your daughter means the world to me, and I hope to spend the rest of my life proving that to her. I'm here today because I would like to ask your daughter to marry me, and I would be honored to have your blessing."

"I can't think of a better woman for my daughter," he said.

Stacie let out a huge breath. "Thanks."

"So, when are you going to ask? Linda and I can watch Bella for you if you like."

"Thanks, but I'm planning to involve Bella in the proposal. I'm going to ask her today."

"Well, I'm sure she'll say yes."

"I certainly hope so."

"You have nothing to worry about," he said. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please," said Stacie. Just then, Aubrey's mother walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Stacie, I didn't know you were up," she said. She looked around. "Everything okay? I don't see Aubrey or Bella."

"Everything's fine," said Stacie. "Bella is still asleep and Aubrey is in the shower."

"Stacie came down here to ask me an important question," said General Posen. "Would you like to tell her what we discussed, or should I?"

"You go ahead," said Stacie.

"I've just given Stacie my blessing to ask Aubrey to marry her."

Linda exclaimed, "Oh, that's wonderful!" She gave Stacie a hug, happy tears in her eyes.

"Thanks," said Stacie. "I'm going to ask her today, so please don't spoil the surprise."

Linda made a "zipped lips" motion with her hand.

"Can I help with breakfast?" asked Stacie.

"You're a guest in this house," said Linda. "You'll sit and have coffee while I make French toast."

"If you insist," said Stacie.

Aubrey came downstairs a few minutes later. She greeted each of her parents with a kiss on the cheek and Stacie with a peck on the lips.

"I didn't hear you leave," she said.

"I needed some coffee after yesterday," Stacie said.

"Me too," said Aubrey.

"Sit down. Those kids ran you ragged yesterday," said Stacie.

Aubrey sat down and graciously thanked Stacie when she gave her a cup of coffee.

"Do you know if Bella is awake yet?" asked Stacie.

"I think I heard her stirring when I walked by her room," said Aubrey.

"I'll go up and check on her," said Stacie.

"I'll go with you," said Aubrey.

"Stay here," said Stacie. "Catch up with your parents while we're here."

"Okay."

Stacie walked up and knocked softly on Bella's door. "Hey, Bella, are you up?"

"Yeah. You can come in."

Bella had just gotten dressed. Stacie motioned for her to sit in the chair by the vanity in the room so she could do Bella's hair.

"So, Bella, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"I want to marry Aubrey."

"It's about time."

"How do you know? You're eight!"

"I'm not stupid. You've been dating her for a while. You took a vacation together last summer, and I have a room at Aubrey's parents' house. I'm in _second_ grade. I know things."

Stacie chuckled. The apple didn't fall far from the tree. "Okay, Miss Sassypants," she said. "So, you're okay with this?" She finished braiding Bella's hair.

"Definitely," said Bella. "When are you going to ask her?"

"I was hoping you could help me with that today."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought we could ask her together."

"She's only marrying _you_, right?" asked Bella.

"Yes. I just thought you'd want to be there. In fact, I thought you could ask Aubrey to marry me."

"So, I just say, 'Aubrey, will you marry my mommy'?"

"Yes. And I'll give her the ring."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure, come with me." Stacie led her daughter to her and Aubrey's room and opened her suitcase. She slipped her hand into a small compartment and pulled out the ring box. She opened it. "What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect," said Bella with a smile. "Will Aubrey be my other mom?"

"Well, she'd have to adopt you. That's something we can all discuss some other time."

"Soon?"

"Yes, soon. Now, don't say anything to Aubrey. I was thinking we'd take her to lunch at the restaurant down the street we all like."

"Okay."

"Let's head downstairs. Miss Linda made French toast."

"My favorite!"

Stacie and Bella headed downstairs.

"What took you so long?" asked Aubrey.

"Mommy braided my hair!" exclaimed Bella. She turned around to show everyone the neat French braid her mom had done.

"Looks good," said Aubrey.

"Want some French toast?" asked Linda.

"Yes, please," said Bella.

* * *

Stacie, Aubrey, and Bella sat down to lunch at their favorite restaurant near the Posens' home. It was nice enough to have cloth napkins and crystal glasses, but it also had a kids' menu. Bella told her mom after the first time they'd taken her there that the restaurant had made her feel so grown up.

They ordered their drinks first.

"I'll have a non-alcoholic Shirley Temple," said Bella. The server, Stacie, and Aubrey all laughed.

"What?!" asked Bella.

"Sweetheart," said Stacie. "Shirley Temples are _always_ non-alcoholic."

"Oh," said Bella, flushing a deep red.

"It's okay, honey," said the server. "You're not the first kid to order one like that, and I'm sure you won't be the last."

After the server brought their drinks and they'd ordered their meals, Stacie said, "This is nice."

"It is. It was a long day yesterday, but I'm so glad the whole competition was done in a day," said Aubrey.

"Me too," said Bella. "It's nice to have a day to relax."

"So," said Stacie. "Tomorrow marks two years since our first date."

"That's right," said Aubrey.

"In those two years, you have made me happier than anyone ever has, except Bella, of course," said Stacie, gently squeezing Bella's shoulder. "So, Bella, would you like to help me?"

Bella's face broke out into a huge grin. "Aubrey, will you marry my mommy?"

Aubrey looked over and saw Stacie was down on one knee next to her, holding a ring box open.

"Yes!" Aubrey replied through tears of joy.

Stacie put the ring on Aubrey's finger and let the woman pull her into a kiss. They heard a few cheers from the neighboring tables. Aubrey motioned for Bella to get up from her seat and she pulled the little girl into a hug as well.

"I can't wait to tell my parents," said Aubrey. "I'm so glad you did this while we were here."

"That's not a coincidence," said Stacie. "The real reason I was up early was that I wanted to ask your father for his blessing."

"Daddy didn't give you a hard time, did he?"

"Not at all," said Stacie.

"Good," said Aubrey.

The server walked over to their table. "Excuse me, the manager sent this over as congratulations. On the house!" The server was holding a bottle of champagne.

"Thank you," said Stacie. She was about to ask if they had sparkling cider for Bella when she saw another server walk over with three champagne flutes.

"And sparkling cider for you," said another server, placing an already filled champagne flute in front of Bella.

Once the glasses were filled and the servers had left the table, Aubrey started a toast. "A toast," she said. "To spending the rest of my life with my two favorite girls."

"Cheers!" exclaimed Bella, clinking glasses with both Aubrey and Stacie.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Stacie.

"From Miss Barb and Mr. Donald's wedding, _duh_."

"Don't 'duh' at me!"

"Oops," said Bella. "Sorry about that. So, do I have to be the flower girl?"

"You don't want to?" asked Stacie.

"I'm eight, Mommy. I don't want a baby job like that."

"Did Maddie say it was a baby job?"

"No. But she was seven!"

"You don't have to," said Stacie. "We'll come up with something special for you. I promise."

The servers brought their food, and it was quiet for a while. Bella insisted on dessert, and Stacie and Aubrey agreed.

* * *

When they got back to the house, Aubrey happily showed her parents her ring.

"How about we take Bella for a walk on the beach so you two can be alone for a little while?" asked Aubrey's mom.

"Can I?" asked Bella.

"Sure," said Stacie.

Bella headed to her room, changed out of her shoes into a pair of flip flops, and headed out with Aubrey's parents.

"Did your parents just take Bella out of the house so we could have engagement celebration sex?" asked Stacie.

"It certainly looks that way," said Aubrey. "But I wanted to talk a little bit first. It's all good, I promise."

"Okay, then, let's talk," said Stacie.

"What are we doing for last names?" asked Aubrey.

"I was thinking of Conrad-Posen, but I'm open to suggestions."

"I like that," said Aubrey. "I have another, way more important question."

"Aubrey, you can ask me anything. I'm about to become your wife."

"Right," said Aubrey. "I don't know why I'm nervous. We haven't talked about this, I guess."

"Aubrey…"

"I'd really like to adopt Bella."

"It's funny," said Stacie. "When I told her I was proposing, she asked me if you'd be her other mom."

"What did you say?"

"I told her we'd all discuss that some other time. So I guess you can ask her when she comes back."

"Okay," said Aubrey. "What do you think about having more kids?"

"I'd love more kids," said Stacie. "And I bet Bella would love to be a big sister."

"Which one of us will carry? Or are we adopting?"

"That's not important right now," said Stacie. "Was there anything else, or can we get down to things?"

Aubrey grabbed Stacie's hand and led them to their shared room, closing and locking the door.

* * *

Aubrey and Stacie were dressed before the Posens brought Bella back to the house. Stacie laughed when she saw Aubrey's mom had texted to ask if the coast was clear.

"Mommy!" exclaimed Bella as she walked in.

"Hey, Bella! Did you have fun?"

"Yeah. I got _so _many seashells," she said. She held up the bucket she'd been carrying to show a rather impressive collection.

"Great job, sweetie," said Stacie. She glanced over at Aubrey, who gave a subtle nod. "I think Aubrey has something she wants to ask you."

Bella walked over to Aubrey, confusion written all over her face.

Aubrey took Bella's hands in hers. "Bella, your mom and I had a long talk while you were gone. I was wondering if you'd like for me to adopt you once your mom and I are married."

"Mommy, did you tell her?"

"Only after Aubrey brought it up herself."

"Oh. Yeah. I'd like that. Having two moms is going to be so cool." She paused for a moment. "So, what do I call you?"

"I suppose that's up to you. And me, I guess," said Aubrey. "There's Mama, Ma, Mom…"

"I think I like 'Ma' if that's okay."

"It's okay with me."

"Do you have any other questions?" asked Stacie.

"What is our last name going to be - Conrad or Posen?"

"We were thinking we'd all be Conrad-Posens," said Stacie.

"That sounds good," said Bella. "I have one more question."

"What's that?" asked Stacie.

"Can I call you Ma now, or do I have to wait until it's official?"

"Whenever you want," said Aubrey.

"Then it's 'Ma' from now on."

She gave Aubrey a hug.

"Does that mean that Miss Linda and Mr. George will be my grandparents?" asked Bella.

"We sure will," said Linda. "What would you like to call us?"

Bella scrunched up her face for a moment before saying, "Nanny and Poppy."

"Then, I guess we are Nanny and Poppy," said Linda. George nodded in agreement.

* * *

_Six Months Later_

Stacie and Aubrey married at the restaurant owned by Mrs. Mirra, Stacie's now-former neighbor, in the same place where they'd held Stacie's thirtieth birthday party. Shortly after their engagement, both women put their townhomes up for sale and purchased a single-family home closer to the elementary school where Bella attended. Bella was thrilled to be able to walk to and from school. Since Aubrey was home in the mornings, they no longer needed Mrs. Mirra to help with Bella in the mornings, but they remained close. She frequently came by with cookies and the like.

The ceremony was performed by Ashley, Jessica's wife. She was seven months pregnant with twins, but she'd insisted she was fine to perform the ceremony. Aubrey and Stacie insisted she do so while seated, and Ashley agreed.

Bella was the maid of honor in the ceremony. Stacie's brothers were the best men and Jessica was Aubrey's matron of honor. Mrs. Mirra's sister was a seamstress and sewed all of the gowns. She'd made different gowns to suit both brides, and Bella's dress had elements from both brides' gowns.

The ceremony was fairly traditional, but Ashley included a family medallion ceremony. It was designed to acknowledge that the wedding was not only joining Stacie and Aubrey, but also integrating Stacie, Aubrey, and Bella as a new family. Bella was given a necklace with a small pendant on it with three interlocking rings. Aubrey and Stacie gave it to her, pledging their love to her. Bella had been unaware of this prior to the wedding and the look of awe on her face was something that neither Aubrey nor Stacie would ever forget.

After the ceremony, the restaurant staff directed the guests to the other side of the patio area where tables had been set up, as well as a DJ and a dance floor.

Bella gave an adorable toast at the reception.

"Back when I was in kindergarten, I came home from school and I begged Mommy to let me try dance lessons. Little did either of us know she would fall in love with my dance teacher!" Several guests chuckled at this. "I'm really glad she said yes or we wouldn't all be here now. And I'm really happy I get to call Aubrey 'Ma'. So, let's have a toast to Mommy and Ma - Mrs. and Mrs. Conrad-Posen!"

After the guests clinked glasses, Bella leaned over and whispered, "How did I do?"

"It was perfect, honey," Stacie replied.

"I think this is perfect," said Aubrey.

* * *

_Three Months Later_

It was a big day in the Conrad-Posen household. Aubrey, Stacie, and Bella would go before a judge to finalize Aubrey's adoption of Bella. They had plans to go to Jessica and Ashley's afterward. They'd insisted on having a small celebration, even though their twins, Abigail and Benjamin, were only a month old. Bella hadn't gotten a chance to meet them yet, and Stacie hadn't either. Aubrey had visited when they were newborns in the hospital, and she'd come over during the day a few times to give them a hand.

The family went to the court dressed nicely. Bella had insisted on a new dress for the occasion, and her new set of grandparents jumped at the chance to purchase it. She'd tried to talk her moms into letting her wear makeup, but both of them put their foot down on the topic.

When they were called into the courtroom, the judge asked Aubrey a bunch of questions. After that, she said something with so many legal terms that even Stacie wasn't quite sure she understood. She ended it by saying: "A Final Decree of Adoption be and is hereby entered establishing the legal relationship of natural parent and natural child for all purposes between Aubrey Conrad-Posen, the petitioner, and the adoptee, to the same extent as if the adoptee had been naturally born to the petitioner. The name of Bella Jane Conrad is hereby legally changed to Bella Jane Conrad-Posen. The Clerk of the court is hereby authorized and directed to furnish four certified copies of this Final Decree of Adoption to the petitioner through the petitioner's counsel of record in this matter."

Bella looked over at the judge and timidly asked, "Does this mean I have two moms now?"

She smiled and said, "It sure does."

Bella turned to Aubrey and threw her arms around her saying, "I'm so glad you're really my Ma now!" This made all three of them cry.

Stacie pulled her phone out of her pocket and asked the judge if someone could take a picture. She handed the phone to one of the clerks after the three of them had gotten a moment to dab at their eyes. It was fairly obvious there had been some tears in the picture, but they still got a pretty good one.

* * *

The family went over to visit with Jessica and Ashley afterward. They gave the family a customized picture frame with "The Conrad-Posens" at the top and the names "Stacie, Aubrey, and Bella" across the bottom. Stacie promised she'd put a picture taken that day in court in the frame as soon as the three of them agreed on which one to print.

Bella asked, "Can I hold one of the babies?"

"Wash your hands first," said Jessica.

After Bella washed her hands, Ashley asked her which baby she wanted to hold.

"I guess I don't care," said Bella. "I need to practice holding a baby."

"Oh?" asked Jessica, looking over at Stacie and Aubrey.

Aubrey laughed. "I guess the cat's out of the bag now. I'm eight weeks along."

Jessica exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you guys."

"You sure didn't waste any time," said Ashley.

"We wanted to try sooner rather than later," said Aubrey. "Bella will be nine before the baby gets here as it is, and I'm not getting any younger."

Ashley walked over to Bella, who was holding her arms in a cradle position her moms had shown her before the visit. "Here's Abigail," she said. "Rest your arm on the arm of the couch and keep her head supported."

"Am I doing it right?" asked Bella.

"You sure are," said Ashley. She turned to Aubrey "So, how are you feeling?"

"Tired, mostly," said Aubrey. "I somehow seem to have escaped morning sickness. I was a little worried that something might be wrong, but we just saw the baby on an ultrasound yesterday." She opened her purse and pulled out a picture of a tiny gray blob. "There's our little nugget. The heartbeat is really strong."

"May I hold Benjamin?" asked Stacie. "It's been a while."

"Sure," said Jessica, as she handed her son to Stacie.

Stacie sighed. "I can't wait to do this again."

"You're welcome to come over and take over the night feedings whenever you want," said Ashley.

Stacie laughed. "I think I'll pass on that. Bella didn't sleep through the night for a long, long time."

"I didn't?" asked Bella. "Sorry about that."

"You were a baby, sweetie," said Stacie. "Babies do that."

"Oh," said Bella.

"The nursery is closer to our bedroom than Bella's," said Aubrey. "Just in case this little one comes to the same decision."

They spent the rest of the afternoon passing around the twins and talking about babies.

* * *

_Seven Months Later_

Aubrey woke up in the middle of the night feeling very strong contractions. She nudged Stacie awake. "Stacie, I think this is it."

"Okay, Aubrey," she said, gently rubbing her wife's lower back. "Let's time them before we call the midwife. Did your water break?"

Aubrey shook her head. She breathed through the next contraction.

"That's it," said Stacie, soothingly as she continued to rub her wife's back. "You're doing great."

Stacie gave Aubrey a gentle kiss on her neck while they waited for the next contraction. When another one hit, she guided her wife through her breathing again. "That was seven minutes," she said. "I'm going to call Mrs. Mirra and get her to come over and stay with Bella. That way, we can just go when the midwife says it's time to head over."

Aubrey had wanted to give birth at a birthing center, but the idea made Stacie nervous. They'd compromised by finding a midwifery practice that worked out of a hospital, just in case things went south.

Mrs. Mirra arrived just in time. Aubrey's contractions had just hit five minutes apart and were getting increasingly painful. Stacie continued to soothe her wife. "That's one less contraction, baby, you've got this. I know it hurts."

Mrs. Mirra handed Aubrey a towel as they were leaving. "Just in case your water breaks in the car. Happened with two of my boys," she said.

"Thanks," said Aubrey as her wife led her to the car.

They got to the hospital, luckily without Aubrey's water breaking. The midwife took Aubrey back and checked on her progress. "Everything looks great," she said. "You're about 5 cm right now. I'll let you hang out and do your thing. Have the nurse come and get me if you need anything."

Aubrey labored for a while, Stacie coaching her, rubbing her back, taking her for walks, and doing her very best to help her wife through the process. Aubrey had been adamant about wanting labor naturally, and she'd made it clear to everyone involved that she wasn't to be offered anything for her pain.

Aubrey lay down after another walk and then said, "Stacie, I think my water just broke."

Stacie asked the nurse to send the midwife in to check.

"Well, you're at 10 cm," she said. "Let's get ready to push."

Stacie saw the color drain out of her wife's face. "You can do this," she said. "This is the last part."

Stacie helped hold one of Aubrey's legs while the nurse held the other. After a good hour of pushing, their baby was born.

"Aubrey, honey, you did so great. I'm so proud of you. We have another girl," she said, as both of them cried tears of joy. The midwife held the baby up before handing her to the nurse to be weighed. A few pushes later, and the placenta was out.

"Your little girl is 7 lbs, 14 oz. and 20 inches long," said the nurse. She handed Aubrey the tiny little girl, clad only in a diaper. The little girl began rooting, and Stacie helped Aubrey have her latch for her first feed.

Stacie looked at the time. "Aubrey, do you want to cal Bella? She should be awake and eating breakfast right now."

"Sure," said Aubrey. "But not for too long. I'm pretty tired."

"I bet you are, my warrior wife," said Stacie. She called Mrs. Mirra and asked her to grab the iPad off of her nightstand so they could call Bella on FaceTime.

Bella answered quickly. "Hi, Mommy. Hi, Ma. Do I have a brother or a sister?"

"You have a sister," said Aubrey.

"What should we name her?" asked Stacie. They'd narrowed down to three names - Rebecca, Alexandra, and Lucy.

"Lucy," said Bella. "I think I like that best."

"Lucy Mae?" asked Stacie.

"Yeah," said Bella. "She should share Ma's middle name since I have yours. And I grew in your tummy and Lucy grew in Ma's tummy."

"Lucy Mae," said Aubrey. She turned to the baby. "Do you hear that? You're Lucy Mae." The baby opened her eyes for a second, stuck out her tongue, and then closed her eyes and put her tongue back in her mouth.

"I think she approves," said Stacie.

"Can I see her tonight?" asked Bella.

"Yes," said Stacie. "I'll have Mrs. Mirra bring you over after dinner. Do you mind if she stays overnight with you at the house? I want to stay here with Ma and Lucy tonight."

"That's fine," said Bella. "Ma, are you okay? You look tired."

"I'm fine," said Aubrey. "But I'm definitely tired. Have a good day with Mrs. Mirra. I'll see you tonight. I love you!"

"Love you, Ma, Mommy, and Lucy!" Bella called as she ended the FaceTime call.

Stacie, Aubrey, and Lucy spent the day resting, eating (well, Lucy did more eating than either of her moms), and announcing Lucy's arrival.. Lucy had her first checkup, and the hospital pediatrician declared her to be the "picture of health." They filled out the paperwork for her birth certificate, happy that the state had finally changed the paperwork to say "Guardian 1" and "Guardian 2" rather than "Mother" and "Father."

That evening, Mrs. Mirra and Bella arrived to visit with pink balloons in hand. Bella was proudly wearing a "Big Sister" tee shirt, and the two of them had gone to the store after school to buy Lucy a pretty pink going home outfit.

Bella immediately washed her hands and sat down next to Stacie. "Can I please hold Lucy now?" she asked.

"Once she's done eating, you can," said Aubrey, who was nursing Lucy.

"Ma, are you nursing her?" asked Bella.

"Just like I told you I would," said Aubrey. "I don't mind if you come closer to look."

"Is that okay?" asked Bella.

"Go ahead, honey," said Stacie. "This is how I fed you when you were a baby."

Aubrey looked down at Lucy. "Look, Bella, can you see that she's sucking and swallowing?" asked Aubrey. Bella nodded. "That's how I know she's getting milk."

"How do you know when she's done?"

"She'll let go when she's had enough, and that should be pretty soon. You can hold her once I burp her."

"You what?" asked Bella.

"She can't burp on her own yet, and she might get uncomfortable if there are bubbles in her tummy. So I'll hold her up and rub or pat or back until she burps."

Just then, Lucy unlatched from Aubrey's breast. Aubrey clipped her nursing tank closed and held her over her shoulder. After a few gentle pats, everyone in the room giggled as a very loud belch came from the tiny newborn.

Stacie took Lucy and walked her over to her big sister. Bella held her arms in the cradle position she'd gotten good at using, thanks to many visits with Abby and Benny in recent months.

"Hi, Lucy," said Bella to the sleeping newborn. "I'm your big sister. Let me tell you something that Ma told me before she was even my Ma. I guess I'll explain that part when you're older. All anyone ever needs is just one person who loves you no matter what. And I think you're super lucky because you have at least three - Ma, Mommy, and me."

"That might be the sweetest thing I've ever heard," said Mrs. Mirra. "Why don't you three go around the bed so I can take a family picture?"

Stacie took Lucy from Bella, explaining to her that she didn't want her to walk with the newborn in her arms just yet. Bella climbed into Aubrey's bed next to her and took Lucy from Stacie. They leaned in for several photos Mrs. Mirra took with both moms' phones.

Stacie posted it on Instagram with the caption: "#Staubreybaby2 is here! Welcome, Lucy Mae Conrad-Posen! 👶 aubrey_conradposen_dance_teacher is doing great!"

Aubrey's post was identical, except, instead of tagging herself, she said: "Everyone is doing great. stacie_long_legs hasn't lost her touch!"

When it was time for Bella to leave, she gave Lucy a kiss on the forehead and said, "Thank you for making me a big sister. I love you."

Once they were alone in the room again, Stacie moved closer to Aubrey. "I know I keep telling you this, but I'm so proud of you. I can't believe you did all of that without an epidural. I begged for one with Bella as soon as they told me I could have it."

"And you did it without the other parent around," said Aubrey. "Doesn't make you any less awesome."

Lucy started to fuss and root, so Stacie handed her to Aubrey. "You're up," she said.

"Did Bella eat this much as a newborn?"

"Yes," said Stacie.

Once Lucy was latched and Aubrey was settled, Stacie put her arms around the both of them.

"I love our family so much," she said.

"Me too," said Aubrey.

* * *

A/N: Looks like my one-shot turned into three chapters. Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
